Ship&#39;s life or emergency boat.



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j SAMUEL MACrHiaw4 .ioHNso1\`T;`, or oniwrrr, fwALiis, nssieivon r.ro iroHNsoivfs coMvnRrInLE Bonrsnnn nnrrs trMrrnnor cARp1rr,wALEs.

' y sHIrsf LIFE on EMERGENCY BOAT."

To all whom it may concern.' l f Britain, and resident of-15 Neville street,`

' Cardiff, in the countyofGlamorgamPrincL pality ofWales, in the` United' Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented a certainnew` and useful Improvement .inl Ships Life or Emergency Boats, of which-1ll the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a foldable structure adapted for use alternatively as a ships life or emergency-boat or as a deck-fitting capable of affording sitting-accommodation for passengers; theobject of the invention being to provide a structure which, in its open or unfolded condition, will serve as a pair of back-to-back benches but which can,

when necessity arises, be instantly converted i into a boat and launched overboard without the use of lowering tackles.

In a practical form, the structure of the present invention comprises a pair of halfboats divided at the median longitudinal vertical plane and connected together permanently at a hinge extending lengthwise of the boatat the keel; these halves, which are provided with locking-devices whereby to secure them together when the structure is folded up, as well as with means for then maintaining a watertight joint between their contiguous surfaces, having each a range of seat-lockers extending lengthwise of what (when the halves are folded together) constitutes the well of the boat,said seat-lockers being adapted to afford bench-accommodation whether the structure be folded up or unfolded.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate in a somewhat elementary manner one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a midship cross-section of the structure vwhen folded up and set aiioat for use as a boat, Fig. 2 vbeing a similar view showlng the structure when unfolded and stowed inboard on the chocks. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structure when folded up as in Fig. 1, while Fig. 4: is a similar view of the structure when unfolded asin Fig. 2.

The halves A and B of the structure, which are substantially similar and are adapted each to constitute one half of the boat, are connected together `by means of a hinge c which extends throughout their length from the stern to the point al (Fig. 4)

Specification of Letters Patent. j

Application sied March 4', 191s. seriaiuo. 220,207.

Patenten netti, issie.

whereat the fore-foot of the boat begins to Curve upward toward the stem; the hinge c i which, when the halvesA and `B` are folded.

together, `I projects .downward beyond. the bottom oftheboat so as toconstitute a keel,

being preferably made suiiciently heavy,4 to v provide the ballast necessary for rendering the `boat self-righting. "At e, between the `:keel-hinge c and the floor f of the well of the boat, and also at the stem g and stern it, each half A and B is constructed with buoyancychambers whereby to render the boat practically unsinkable inde endently of the use of buoyancy-tanks suoli as hereinafter described.

.The halves A and B are respectively prov1ded,at or near the top of the stem g and stern L, with mutually-engaging locking-devices j adapted, when the halves are folded together as in Figs. 1 and 3, to lock the halves together automatically so as to hold them securely, in the relative position required to form a boat; these locking-devices, which are not shown in detail but may be of any convenient construction, being preferably of such character as to prevent disengagement except by an authorized person possessed of a key for the purpose.

In order to render the joint between the halves A and B watertight, a packing strip is interposed between their contiguous surfaces throughout the length of the keel and the height of both stem and stern. VFor this purpose, in the example illustrated, the inner face of each half has a continuous groove extending lengthwise above the hinge c and in an upward direction beyond each locking-device j; the grooves in the respective halves being adapted to register with one another vand the groove on the one half `(B in the drawings) having secured within it a continuous length of thick rubber cork la Vor equivalent compressible or elastic mate- Each half il and B has lixed against its outer Well7 Within `what (when the halves are folded together) constitutes the well of' the bout, a range of lockers p ol suoli di# inensions as to alford henclraceommodetlon for passengers on the (forthe time being) upper surface of lthe lockers whether the struet'i'i'ehe Afolded ui'to form a boat as in Fig. 1, or unfolded as in Fig. v. In the former ease the sides 71 of the boat serve as backs to thehench'es, Whereas in `the latter case "the halves of th'eloor 7" of the Well serve -as backs While the sides?1 serve as foot# boerds .for persons occupying the seutsuv liVVhen Vthe structure `is thus unfol'cled, the

halves Al andwBware supported in lproper i Copies of-this patentinay be obtained@for relativeposition by ehooksvsl (Fig. 2) Vlined `to the `deck t of the ship.

The lockers?, Whieh are preferably provided with slicling"doois,"inziy he used to `hold oars and other usual fitting, as Well ve cents each, by `addressingthe Cozuinssioner `of Patents.V if `Wshington,D.(l. l n Y, A 

